Collapsible tube



April 11, 1933. H J, KONANZ COLLAPSIBLE TUBE Filed Dec. 1, 1931 INVENTOR. Her/77m? 1%0/70/72' BY g A TTORNEY.

Patented Apr. 11, 1933 um'rao s'rAras PATENT orncs mil. ZONAHZ, OI GBAK'I'WOOD, I

commas run application ans mcember 1,, m1. Serial a. mass.

This invention is a. collapsible tube adapted for use for the packaging of creams, such as tooth paste shaving creams, etc., and the invention is direcmd more particularly to the provision of a satisfactory enclosure for such a tube.

Collapsible tubes have long been used but the closures heretofore provided have not been satisfactory. The most common type 30 of closure is that wherein a threadedcap is screwed upon the threaded neck of the tube, but experience has shown that the maiority of creams used in tubes harden or-solidify in the threads and make difficult the removal'or replacement of the cap. As aresult, it has been quite common in prior constructions to use the cap for a while and to thereu n discard the cap so the tube is left without a closure. When thus used, the creams harden within the neck of the tube and form an effective plug or stopper which eifectually precludes the discharge of further paste unless a match, toothpick or some similar article is used to puncture or force out the stopper thus formed. Devices have heretofore been suggested which donot require the threading of the cap on the neck of the tube, but these devices have in the main been 0 en to the general ob- 'jection that the operation of the cap on the neck of the tube produces a smudging of the paste in the clearance space between the parts, and as a result of this smudging a thin 35 layer of paste is accumulated in this clearance space. This layer of paste solidifies, jambs the cap and precludes its ready removal. I I v I The object of the present invention is to go eliminate the foregoing disadvantages and others and to provide an economicaljand thoroughly cfiicient closure for a tube of the character specified. A further important advantage inherent 45 in the structure of the present invention is its simplicity and economy of manufacture. An important factor in this connection resides in the fact that the tube, as well as the cap may be separately and independently 50 made in complete form and the parts there- .base thereof is an outlet 0 after assembled without requiring a further operation in the formation of the parts. i

g generally, the invention consists in making the neck of the tube in the form of a substantially cylindrical demo the outer surface of which is cylindrical and the neck preferably bein At the base of t e neck is formed a seat and above and adjacent the seat, the neck is formedin its lateral wall with an outlet openprovided with a flat top. 4

ing'for the paste. The cap fits over'the neck with a close slidin fit and there is formed between the cap an the neck a ba onet joint connection, the male member 0 .which is.

formed on and integral with the cap. The female joint connection has a branch slot which permits the parts to be assembled after complete formation by providing means of entry of the pin of the joint into the bayonet slot of the neck. lhis assembly is expeditiously accomghshed and is so constituted, hereinafter escribed, that the cap is, to a intents and purposes, locked against removal from the tube, while serving as an efiicient seal and closure.

Features of the invention, other than those specified, will be a parent from the hereinafter detailed description and drawing, when rfad in conjunction with the appended C 811113 The accom anying drawing illustrates one practical em ment of the invention, but the construction therein shown is to be understood as illustrative, only, and not as defining the limits of the invention.

' re 1 is a perspective view of a col- F1 lapsibl e tube embodying the present inven-" tion, showing the cap detached. I

Figures 2 and 3 are central sections through the tubeand cap, the former of which figures show the cap in sealing position and the latter of which shows the cap in unsealing position.

I In the drawing, the bod of the tube is designated 1 and upon this ody is formeda neck 2 having a cylindrical exterior and a flat top 3; At one side of the neck near the ning 4 and at the base of the neck is forms an annular seat 6.

. to fit over The cap 6 has a cylindrical interior proportioned to have a close sliding fit with the I c osed position. I

. lof the joint In the exterior a bayonet slot or channel designated generally by the reference character 8. This slot has an H right portion 9 and a circumferential portlon 10, the latter of which is" inclined downwardly as shown in Figure 1. The upper end of the upright portion '9 is closed, i. e. the slot terminates short of the to ofthe necl: and about midway of this uprig t ortion is anintersecting branch, slot 11, w ich extends circumferentially for a distance and thence u wardly as at 12 to the top of the neck. T is branch slot I call the entrance slot. It is provided in order to permit the pin to be formed integral with and ermanently secured to the cap 6, so as to pro- ]ect interiorly of the cap. The parts are so arran ed that the cap may be made complete with t e pin 14 attached and'the neck of the tube ma be made complete in the formation of molding the tube and after these parts have been completely formed independently of one another, they may be thereupon assembled without further addition of any parts. In order to accomplish this result, the cap is brought intoa position to cause the pin 14 to enter the upright part 12 of the entrance slot and then by pressing down the cap the pm is brought opposite the part 11 of this slot, so

, that rotation of the cap in a counterclockwise I the direction will causethe pin to traverse the portion 11 of the entrance slot and enter into the bayonet slot proper. This completes the as sembly operation. To move the cap in a sealing position the in isjuxtaposed with the portion 10 of ayonet slot whereupon rotation in a clockwise direction will cause the pin 14 to enter this portion of the slot, the downward inclination of which will force the lower edge of the cap firmly to-the seat 5. To open the cap, the cap is first turned in a counterclockwise direction and then lifted until the pin 14 reaches the top of the upright portion 9 of the bayonet slot, whereupon the parts will appear as shown in Fig. 3, rom which it will be seen that the opening 4 is uncovered and that paste may be exuded from the tube. After the desired quantity of paste has been forced out by squeezing the tube, the cap is glossed down and its lower edge acts as a ife blade to shear ofi the paste cleanly and without smudging and to form a closure as shown in Fig. 2;

It will be noted'that the upper end of the slot portion 9 is curved slightly in the direction of the branch slot. Thus in order to move the cap from the position of Figure 3 tothe position of Figure 2, it is first necessary face of the neck is formed it is forced downwardly until 7 to sli htly rotate the cap in acounterclockwise irection. This causes the pin during the downward movement of the ca to. hug

the right hand side of the slot portion 9, so.

that there is no tendency of the in to enter the part 11 of the branch slot.

raltendency in raising the cap is to turn it to .s the natu the left, the pin will not engage with the branch slot during its opening movement.

Experience with a closure of the character described has shown that ersons using'the tube are not even aware of t e presence of the branch slot because the formation of the bayonet slot is such that the natural operas tions of the parts preclude interference by the branch slot and as this slot is concealed at all times by the cap, the user is not even aware of its presence. It does not function during the useful life of the tube and is simply an assembly. means to economize and expedite assembly operations during the course of manufacture. Yet it eficiently solves an importantymanufacturing problem of getting the pin of the bayonet joint into the bayonet 7 slot without a separate and independent operation subsequent to theinitial formation of the parts and at the same time it provides a structure which to poses has a non-removable cap.

Having thus fully described the invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

l. A collapsible tube comprising a body provided at one end with a neck having an opening in its side wall and which neck has a cylindrical outer surface at the base of which is provided an annular seat and in which outer surface is formed a bayonet channel having an upstanding portion terminating short of the upper end of the neck and at the lower end of hich upstanding portion is formed a circumferential downwardly inclined bayonet channelportion, a cap provided with a cylindrical interior to havea sliding fit with the neck, and a projection formed on the interior of the cap, there being formed in the cylindrical surface of the neck a branch channel extending from the upper end of the neck to the upright portion of the bayonet channel, whereby the projection on the cap may be passed through the branch channel into the bayonet channel during the assembly of the cap on the neck, the lower edge of the cap being beveled to cooperate with the seat at the base of the neck.

2.'A collapsible tube comprising a body provided at one end with a neck having an opening in its side wall and which neck has a cylindrical outer surface and in which outcr surface is formed a bayonet channel having an upstanding portion terminating short of the upper end of the neck and at the lower end of which upstanding portion is formed a circumferential downwardly inclined bayonet channel portion, a cap provided with a all intents and par-- cylindrical interior to have a sliding fit with the neck, and a pro'ection formed on theinterior of the cap, t ere bein formed in the cylindrical surface of the nee a branch channel extendin from the upper end of the neck to the uprig t portion of the bayonet channel, whereby the projection onthe cap may be passed through the branch channel into the bayonet channel during the assembl of the cap on the neck, that part of the upright portion of the bayonet channel above the entrance of the branch channel being curved or inrlvlined in the direction of said branch channe In testimony whereof, I have signed the foregoing specification.

HERMAN J KONANZ. 

